Putting seeds in holes in the ground, while slower, provides a better place for germinating than scattering seeds on top of the ground. Birds and other animals are less likely to eat the seeds, the seeds are less likely to wash away before they have taken root, and the plants tend to grow deeper roots, making them more drought tolerant. However, powered machines are heavy, expensive to own or rent, and may be overkill for small plots. Manually making holes in the ground is time consuming, labor intensive, fatiguing, and may result in holes of inconsistent depths.